upsidedown house

Victory Dance(s)

I have to admit that I came home just before 10 on Friday night and danced with my own shadow, cast onto what will be my living room ceiling some day, in all its cracked and recently scraped glory. While I lit the candles and turned on a radio powered by a battery inverter, borrowed from a friend, I noticed the large shadow overhead right about the time that “cold sweat” by James Brown came over our airwaves by way of CJAM in Windsor. It was my first Friday night in my house and it felt like the moment called for a victory dance.

I discovered some time ago that if you want to be free there are two very essential things you must have, one is music and the other is the willingness to move your body and dance. Without them all the struggle and hardships we try to overcome will no doubt get the best of you. And as it turns out Friday night was not the only night I had the opportunity to dance this weekend, thanks to the Trumbull.

Earlier on Friday I went to hear the host of Democracy Now, Amy Goodman speak at WSU. I’ll admit something else now too, I am a radio news addict. Most of it I would agree with Amy in that it trades challenging and critical news for access to those with power and a position, (“the access of/to evil”) to then pretty much promote government propaganda, but I still want to hear what is being put out there. The program she hosts stands far apart from all that. Democracy Now is celebrating 10 years of radical journalism, “radical” in that it actually does the job it should, covering news from ground zero and not allowing everyday people’s voices to be silenced. So, I paid my $12 dollars and got to hear some stories that I don’t find in the corporate media too often, if ever.

I listen to the show on DET almost daily at 11 am and sometimes I think she is my anti-hero, because of the hope she offers by taking such an uncompromising stand. After the talk I stood by the door and must have repeated this phrase, with minor variations, “Hi, check out a copy of Critical Moment, it’s free” at least 40 times. Handing out papers is not my favorite thing to do, but I’m sure I handed out over 80 papers and most of those people had never even heard of it, even though they were at an event that was all about supporting independent local media. If you don’t read Critical Moment you should. I will have to put up a link to it here now having said that.

I saved the last paper for Amy Goodman who was busy singing autographs, so I just slipped one under a bouquet on the table with a little note on it for her, expressing my appreciation. I was feeling pretty good by the time I got home to my dark and damp house that I just spent my first week in, hence the victory dance. It was back to work last week. Took a new job too, which I have to get started on right away preparing and repairing 30 windows on an old apartment building and then installing new storms. I bid it for $450 only because they are really amazing people and if I could I would do it for free or a work trade with them I certainly would. They just adopted 5 kids who were their neighbors after their Mom died, who they had also been helping care for. I’ve been there, not the adopting kids part, but caring for someone in your community who is definitely going to die soon, and that is both a wonderful and very painful experience, so these folks are pretty much saints in my book. Yea, that was an aside, but they deserve it.

Last week, as I am fond of saying I did my least favorite thing when it comes to doing what I do, roofing. It’s brutal and no fun. Actually it is fun sometimes. I like the view, and the climbing, sometimes, but it is dangerous and really hard work. The upside was I got some practice laying bricks and flashing the base of a chimney this week, which is something I have to do on the upsidedown house soon, at least I hope it’s soon, otherwise there will be a wood stove just sitting in my house not being used. Aside from working and getting supplies, plus just settling into my new life, I did get some gardening in and made time to hang out this week too. The shelves are up, and the space I am staying in looks nice. All for now, off to see THE WAR TAPES, there will be more soon, maybe even some interesting video that was shot at the workday yesterday by my wonderful best friend and lover.

posted by the upsidedown house @ 12:25 PM